Info Page

History of Gloomhaven

Gloomhaven is a cooperative, tactical, dungeon-crawling board game for 1-4 players. It was designed by Isaac Childres and published by Cephalofair Games in 2017. The game is set in the city of Gloomhaven, a once great metropolis that has fallen into ruin. The city is now a labyrinth of forgotten streets and crumbling buildings, filled with monsters and bandits. Players take on the role of mercenaries, hired to explore the city and clear out its dungeons. The game is played over a series of scenarios, each of which is a self-contained adventure. Players will level up their characters and earn new equipment as they progress through the game.

Game rules and objective

Gloomhaven is an epic adventure game that will take you on a thrilling journey through a world full of challenges and opportunities. Your mission is to complete a series of scenarios that are intertwined by a captivating storyline, where every decision you make counts. Each scenario offers a unique set of game mechanics and challenges that will keep you on the edge of your seat.

At the start of every scenario, you'll need to choose a character and place it on the board. The board is an intricate network of hexagons that represent the game world. Here, you'll need to use your character's abilities to fight monsters, overcome obstacles, and solve puzzles. But be warned, the game has rules that dictate how characters move and interact with the world.

Gloomhaven is all about strategy, so you'll need to use your cards wisely to balance your offense and defense. Every card represents a unique ability or action, so you'll need to conserve your resources to stay in the game. And it's not just about completing the scenarios. You'll need to manage your character's progress, gain experience, level up, and acquire new equipment and items to help you on your journey.

But beware, failure is always a possibility. Some scenarios have a "failure" or "defeat" condition that will leave you with nothing to show for your efforts. But don't worry, failure is just another step in the journey. It's an opportunity to learn, adapt, and come back stronger. After all, the game is designed to challenge you and encourage you to think creatively and strategically.

Join the adventure and immerse yourself in the world of Gloomhaven. You won't be disappointed!

Tips to start with Gloomhaven

Tips 1: Begin with character selection

When starting a new campaign in Gloomhaven, players will typically have access to six starting character classes: Brute, Tinkerer, Spellweaver, Scoundrel, Cragheart, and Mindthief. However, as players progress through the game, they will unlock additional character classes, which can be selected for subsequent campaigns or used to replace characters that have retired.

Here are a few tips for picking starting characters as a team of 4 in Gloomhaven:

1. Consider a balanced team: Try to create a well-rounded team with a good mix of damage-dealers, support characters, and tanks. This will help you handle a variety of situations and challenges in the game.
2. Personal preference: Choose characters that fit your personal playstyle and preferences. Do you prefer to be up close and personal, or do you prefer ranged attacks and support roles? Consider what you enjoy playing and what will keep you engaged in the game.
3. Don't be afraid to experiment: While it's important to have a balanced team, don't be afraid to try out characters that may not seem like an obvious fit. Sometimes, unconventional combinations can lead to surprisingly effective strategies.

Note: In total, there are 17 different character classes available in Gloomhaven, each with its own unique set of abilities and playstyle. Players can mix and match these characters in any way they like, allowing for endless combinations and strategies.

Tips 2: Picking your ability deck

In Gloomhaven, each character has an ability deck that consists of a set of cards representing the character's various abilities and actions. During a player's turn, they choose two cards from their hand and play them simultaneously, using the top action of one card and the bottom action of the other. Each card has a number in the top left corner that determines the initiative order for the round. After playing the cards, the player discards them and draws back up to their hand limit. As characters gain experience and level up, they can add new cards to their deck, increasing their options and abilities in combat.

here are a few tips to keep in mind when selecting your character's deck in Gloomhaven

1. Consider your team composition: If you're playing with a group of friends, it's important to consider your team composition and choose a deck that complements the other characters. For example, if your team lacks a healer, you may want to choose a deck with support abilities.
2. Think about your playstyle: Consider how you like to play games and choose a deck that fits your preferred playstyle. If you enjoy playing aggressively, you may want to choose a deck with a lot of offensive abilities. If you prefer to play a more defensive role, you may want to choose a deck with more defensive abilities.
3. Don't forget about movement: Movement is an important part of Gloomhaven, so it's important to choose a deck that has a good balance of movement abilities. Being able to move quickly and efficiently around the board can be the difference between success and failure.

Tips 3: Plan your game at the start of scenario

It's important to plan at the start of a scenario in Gloomhaven because it allows players to establish a strategy and work together as a team towards a common goal. By discussing and deciding on a plan of action, players can allocate their resources effectively and make the most out of their abilities, minimizing mistakes and increasing the chances of success. Additionally, having a plan in place can help players avoid making individual decisions that might conflict with the overall strategy, ensuring that everyone is working towards the same objective. Overall, planning at the start of a scenario is an essential part of teamwork and success in Gloomhaven.